Healing after trauma is supported through simple, structured skills for coping with traumatic memories, feeling safer, calming the body and reconnecting with other people. The PTSD Workbook for Teens is aimed at adolescents who have experienced frightening, overwhelming or unsafe events and may be dealing with post-traumatic stress, flashbacks, avoidance, feeling jumpy, anxiety, panic, shame, anger or emotional numbness.
The workbook is organised into short activities rather than long chapters, making it easier for teenagers to use in small steps. Visible sections include activities on understanding trauma, healing from trauma, fight, flee and freeze reactions, remembering traumatic experiences, avoiding reminders, being on edge, recognising PTSD symptoms, building support systems, talking about trauma and asking for help.
Practical coping tools are a key part of the workbook, with activities covering healthy and unhealthy coping strategies, crisis plans, breathing skills, calming skills, relaxation, soothing activities, looking after the body, activating helpful parts of the brain and finding a safe space. These topics make it relevant for trauma-informed counselling, CAMHS-style sessions, school wellbeing support, social work intervention, youth work, foster care support and home use with a trusted adult.
Teenagers can work through selected exercises at their own pace, while therapists, school counsellors, psychologists and social workers could use individual activities as session prompts or between-session worksheets. The tone is written directly for young people, so it may be especially helpful for teens who need clear language and practical strategies rather than clinical explanations. Written by Libbi Palmer, PsyD.
